Done with Nice Boys
by onecouldn'tsee
Summary: Jeremy simply shrugged, grinning smugly.  "What can I say?  I've got a thing for vampires."  Oneshot.  Post 2x17.  Very much AU.


**WARNINGS: AU. Post 2x17. Contains spoilers! Mild language. Eh, maybe some OOC.  
>I think that's it.<strong>

Part of him couldn't believe he was doing this. Then again he was desperate. He stood outside Caroline's house for the longest moment, indecision keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. A loud crash had him running forward suddenly. The door was open under his fingertips, thank God. It took Jeremy a few moments to recognize the scene in front of his eyes. Sheriff Forbes was on the floor a few feet in front of him, knocked out apparently. Caroline was struggling weakly in Matt's arms as he pinned her against a wall, a stake in one hand.  
>"Please," Caroline gasped, head lolling to the side, "please don't. Matt it's me…don't do this."<br>"No," Matt growled, knocking her into the wall for good measure, "you're dead." Jeremy didn't think. Not really. Instead he moved. He slid the gun from the Sheriff's fingers, lifting the weight of it. Two shots rang out.

Caroline was watching him. He could feel it. He kept his eyes on the flames, refusing to acknowledge her.  
>"My strength is coming back," she murmured softly, "the vervain is wearing off." He nodded once, showing he'd heard. "Not that I mind so much," she whispered, "but what were you doing here tonight?" Jeremy finally flicked his glance to Caroline, sighing.<br>"I was going to ask for your help." Caroline snorted softly.  
>"With what exactly?" Jeremy sighed again, kicking at the grass beneath his toe.<br>"Bonnie is set on some sort of sick death mission. I wanted you to help me talk her out of it."

This was good he thought. Talking took his mind off of it. Even if only for a moment. His eyes went back to the thick roll of fabric immersed in the flames. He knew what it concealed.  
>"You know how stubborn Bonnie is," Caroline sighed.<br>"Yeah," he agreed shortly, "well I'm desperate."  
>"I know the feeling." Jeremy added more lighter fluid to the fire, basking in the explosion of heat that rocked towards him. He didn't say anything else.<p>

Hours later they made their way back out of the woods. Jeremy's phone buzzed.  
>"Damon's taking care of your mom," he told her.<br>"Did you tell him he doesn't have to let her back out?" Caroline joked hollowly. Jeremy didn't comment. "What's the story?" she asked him. He lifted one shoulder in a shrug.  
>"Damon took his truck. Can't imagine what he'll do with it but… He just ran off. That's all. Nobody knows anything."<br>"Just like Vicki." Jeremy ducked his head.  
>"Just like Vicki."<p>

When Caroline moved towards her car his voice stopped her. "Where do you think you're going?"  
>"Um," she cleared her throat delicately, "home?" He shook his head.<br>"You're not going back to that house. Not tonight at least." Jeremy gestured to his own car. "Get in." Caroline didn't have to work to suppress her smile, too much had happened tonight.  
>"Thanks," she said, leaving her keys in her pocket.<p>

Jenna was asleep by the time they arrived. Elena was with the Salvatores for the night, in her new house. Jeremy let Caroline into Elena's empty room and tried to think of something to say. "Good night," Caroline offered, pausing in the doorway. Jeremy nodded.  
>"Night." He went into his room and sat on the bed, making no move to get ready to go to sleep. For the first time he let himself think about it. Really think about it. He'd killed a man tonight. For the first time in his life, there was blood on his hands. But he didn't feel bad about it. He thought that maybe he was supposed to. Surely he was supposed to feel bad about dragging the body into the woods and burning it to cover it up. He still didn't.<p>

Matt Donovan was dead. Just like Vicki. Jeremy winced again with the thought. But Matt was trying to kill Caroline. Vicki had tried to kill Elena. They had to die. And it was a shame. It really was. Victims of circumstance and their own fool intuitions. He shook his head. If things had just played out differently…  
>"Jer?" Caroline called hoarsely from the bathroom doorway. He turned towards her. "Can I sit with you for a while?" she questioned.<br>"Yeah," he said immediately, "come here." Caroline blurred towards him and was in bed by the time he'd lifted his arm to wave her forward.

She sat dead center in the bed, propping up her knees and wrapping her arms around them before carefully positioning her chin between her kneecaps. Jeremy laughed to himself, the sound nearly inaudible. "Don't know how I can keep forgetting that you can do that." She shrugged as much as she could without actually changing position. "Okay?" he questioned after another moment. Caroline shook her head before disappearing behind a curtain of blonde curls. Jeremy scooted closer, rubbing her back. She lifted her head, glancing to him.  
>"I can still smell his blood," she whispered.<p>

Her eyes darkened as she spoke the words, the telltale veins appearing. Jeremy didn't pull back, keeping his breathing level after the briefest moment of panic. Caroline bit her lip, fangs sinking in. "And my mom," her voice cracked and she paused to lick the dribbling blood off her lip, "I _know _she hates vampires. I know that. We did this whole thing before. But still! I'm her _daughter_. I guess I just…" she trailed off and shook her head. "Is it really so bad?" she questioned Jeremy, her condition still strikingly apparent. He shook his head before pulling her closer and letting her head fall onto his shoulder.  
>"You're not a monster."<p>

It was hours before either of them slept.

Caroline woke in the morning alone. She was still in Jeremy's bed. Stifling embarrassment she got up and washed her face. She was okay she lectured herself in the mirror. Everything was going to be okay. She was going to live forever after all. Someday this would all be a distant memory. She wouldn't make the same mistakes again.  
>"You're really not going to say anything?" Jeremy questioned from downstairs. There was a quiet sigh. Bonnie. Caroline wondered absently how long they'd been talking. If they were fighting.<br>"I just don't know what you want me to say," Bonnie replied, "the facts remain the same. We're going up against one of the most powerful creatures in existence and I may be the only hope we have. And you want me to walk away? For what? For my life?"  
>"No," Jeremy countered, "it's selfish as hell but I want you to walk away for me." There was a long beat of silence and Caroline realized she was holding her breath.<p>

"I can't do that Jeremy. You know I can't do that." Jeremy heaved a sigh and crossed his arms. He couldn't even look at her right now.  
>"You can't just die," he protested feebly.<br>"No," Bonnie muttered, "you can't stop me."  
>"You know who hates martyrs Bonnie? The people who loved them before they were martyrs." She shrugged at him, teeth worrying her bottom lip.<br>"I have to do this Jer. I have to try at least." He let out a long sigh.  
>"Maybe. But I don't have to stick around and watch you."<br>"Jeremy," she sighed, resigned. This was a fight neither of them was going to win.  
>"No," he shook his head sharply, "I can't. I <em>won't<em>."  
>"So we're done?" Jeremy nodded once.<p>

Caroline listened as the door slammed. She paused in indecision as Jeremy approached the stairs. Go back to bed and pretend to be asleep? Maybe Jeremy wanted to be alone? Elena's room? Maybe just stand in the doorway and see what he did? Yeah, that sounded like a good plan. She felt pretty bad for him. But Caroline could see both sides of the argument. Not that she wanted Bonnie to die, exactly the opposite. But trouble, massive trouble, was undoubtedly headed their way. Best to try and minimize the bloodshed. Jeremy entered his room and approached her, his expression quickly changing from blank to concerned.  
>"How are you feeling?" Caroline shrugged.<br>"You?" He half smiled.  
>"I've been better."<br>"Yeah," she agreed softly.  
>"It would never have worked," he said seriously. Caroline nodded, mostly to herself. Hadn't she said the same about Matt? Look how on target that had been.<p>

Jeremy's heart was beating steadily in his chest and listening to it Caroline was beginning to realize how hungry she was.  
>"I have to go," she murmured. She'd never fed last night and it was coming back to bite her now.<br>"Breakfast?" Jeremy questioned. She nodded once. "You really feel up to hunting?"  
>"Maybe Damon will share from his private stock," Caroline murmured, shrugging it off.<br>"What if I have a better idea?" She arched an eyebrow and watched him. After a moment Jeremy gestured to himself. "Willing donor," he murmured, lips curving slightly. She shook her head, brushing past him.  
>"You're crazy."<br>"Hey, beggars can't be choosers." She rolled her eyes.  
>"I'm hardly begging Jeremy."<p>

He refused to let it drop.  
>"We both know you're hungry Caroline. Just suck it up and bite me." When he touched her shoulder gingerly she whirled on him, pinning him against a wall and lifting him a foot off the ground.<br>"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, fangs extended. Jeremy stared down at her calmly.  
>"Helping," he said simply. Caroline snorted, lowering him back to the floor. "It doesn't have to be a big deal," he murmured, waving his wrist under her nose. "Just bite me."<br>"The neck is better," she snapped, hands still curled in the collar of his shirt.  
>"Oh." Jeremy let his head drop and tilted his head back, exposing his throat.<br>"I wasn't being serious!" Caroline growled, shaking him slightly. "I was just- oh fuck." He was too close. She'd managed to ignore it for a while but she really was hungry. He was willing. He'd said it himself.

Jeremy groaned slightly as she bit down before sighing. It was difficult for Caroline to stop from moaning as the hot blood pulsed into her mouth. Jesus. There really wasn't anything like it. Bunnies were good for survival. Blood bags were good for the need to remain inconspicuous. But she could see why the original method was still so popular. Because it was like _this_. She could still smell the ash on Jeremy's skin and it brought back a flush of memories. He'd saved her life. Or rather her existence. Six of one… Beneath that there was the purely male scent filling her nostrils. Just a bit of spice that seemed so _Jeremy_. It was heady as it worked through her, making her fight for air. She had to pull back, licking at the blood that continued to ooze out.

She let her head drop to Jeremy's shoulder, exhaling slowly. His hand stroked through her hair.  
>"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"<br>"You've no sense of self preservation at all." Caroline pulled herself up to level the accusation with a glare. Jeremy simply shrugged, grinning smugly.  
>"What can I say? I've got a thing for vampires." She snorted, finally letting go of his ruined shirt.<br>"Yeah well you should knock that off."  
>"Why?"<br>"Because it'll get you killed."  
>"I'm fine," he pointed out, moving his other hand to the small of her back.<p>

Caroline stiffened slightly.  
>"I'm done with nice boys," she enunciated each word carefully, as if that would dissuade him. Jeremy smiled.<br>"Good. Cause I'm done with girls that are going to lead me on a wild goose chase. Everything up front from the start." She had to return his smile, even as she shook her head.  
>"You've got serious issues kid."<br>"Gives me character," he said with a shrug.  
>"You're impossible."<br>"Mm," he shook his head before leaning closer, "I'm exactly what you need," he whispered. She could break out of his hold easily, laughably so. They both knew it. The only problem was that she wasn't moving.

He tugged her closer. She brought her hands to his chest with the intention of pushing off. That didn't happen either. His lips drifted closer and closer. Caroline did nothing to stop it. Instead she let him kiss her. Jeremy's mouth was surprisingly rough against hers. Pleasantly so. Maybe he was right she thought, maybe this was exactly what she needed.

Nice boys didn't have issues.

Nice boys didn't kiss like this.

Nice boys didn't stare a vampire in the face and smirk.

Caroline Forbes was done with nice boys.

_A/N: So this is a oneshot for now. Might be more honestly I have no idea. It all started cause this last ep pissed me off! Come on Matt! I was trying so hard to like you again… And it was brought to my attention that Caroline and Jeremy would be interesting together. I agree. Oh yeah and I hate Boremy. And I really just wanted to kill off Matt. In an effort to work within the constraints of the show for ONCE. Lol. This is what came out...still didn't quite make it. Hope you enjoyed! _


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